A 6-year-old girl is admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Her treatment includes inhalation therapy and postural drainage. Postural drainage should be scheduled for which time?

Explanation

• Postural drainage facilitates the removal of secretions. The procedure should be performed before meals, not after, to decrease the risk of vomiting.

• The number of times per day is based on the severity of pulmonary congestion.

• If done after meals, the nurse should wait 2 hours to reduce the risk of vomiting.

• Limit the postural drainage to approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Modifications or shortening of the time period may be necessary depending on the child’s ability to tolerate the position changes and the techniques.

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